H.R. 51 · 117th Congress

Washington, D.C. Admission Act

Introduced on Jan 4, 2021 by Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). 216 cosponsors, all from the sponsor's party. Latest action (Apr 22, 2021): Received in the Senate.

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Jan 4, 2021
Cosponsors
216
0 from the other party
Policy area
Government Operations and Politics
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To provide for the admission of the State of Washington, D.C. into the Union.

Subjects

  • Congressional districts and representation
  • Congressional elections
  • Constitution and constitutional amendments
  • District of Columbia
  • Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
  • Government buildings, facilities, and property
  • House of Representatives
  • Legislative rules and procedure
  • Members of Congress
  • Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
  • State and local government operations

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Passed House, Apr 22, 2021). Public domain.

Washington, D.C. Admission Act

This bill provides for admission into the United States of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The commonwealth shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states.

The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the commonwealth.

The bill applies current District laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings.

The commonwealth (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits.

District territory excluded from the commonwealth shall be known as the Capital and shall be the seat of the federal government. The bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property.

The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President.

The bill continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, courts, and college tuition assistance, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over the authorities and responsibilities.

The bill establishes the Statehood Transition Commission to advise the President, Congress, and District and commonwealth leaders on the transition.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Eleanor Holmes NortonD-DCSponsor

Democrats · 216

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Recommit
    Apr 22, 2021· House· Procedural· Failed 205–215
  2. On Passage
    Apr 22, 2021· House· Passage· Passed 216–208

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Jan 4, 2021Introduced in House
  2. Jan 4, 2021Introduced in House
  3. Jan 4, 2021Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1)
  4. Jan 4, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  5. Jan 4, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  6. Jan 4, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  7. Jan 4, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  8. Jan 4, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  9. Jan 5, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Health.
  10. Mar 1, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
  11. Mar 22, 2021 · HouseCommittee Hearings Held.
  12. Apr 14, 2021 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  13. Apr 14, 2021 · HouseOrdered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 19.
  14. Apr 16, 2021Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Reform. H. Rept. 117-19, Part I.
  15. Apr 16, 2021 · HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Reform. H. Rept. 117-19, Part I.
  16. Apr 16, 2021Committee on Rules discharged.
  17. Apr 16, 2021 · HouseCommittee on Rules discharged.
  18. Apr 16, 2021Committee on Armed Services discharged.
  19. Apr 16, 2021 · HouseCommittee on Armed Services discharged.
  20. Apr 16, 2021Committee on the Judiciary discharged.
  21. Apr 16, 2021 · HouseCommittee on the Judiciary discharged.
  22. Apr 16, 2021Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
  23. Apr 16, 2021 · HouseCommittee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
  24. Apr 16, 2021 · HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 6.
  25. Apr 20, 2021 · HouseRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 330 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 51, H.R. 1573 and H.R. 1333. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. The previous question on each measure is considered ordered without intervening motions except one hour of debate and a motion to recommit. H. Res. 316 and H. Con. Res. 30 are adopted.
  26. Apr 21, 2021Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Oversight and Reform, H. Rept. 117-19, Part II.
  27. Apr 21, 2021 · HouseSupplemental report filed by the Committee on Oversight and Reform, H. Rept. 117-19, Part II.
  28. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 330. (consideration: CR H2061-2089)
  29. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseRule provides for consideration of H.R. 51, H.R. 1573 and H.R. 1333. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. The previous question on each measure is considered ordered without intervening motions except one hour of debate and a motion to recommit. H. Res. 316 and H. Con. Res. 30 are adopted.
  30. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 51.
  31. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  32. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseMr. Griffith moved to recommit to the Committee on Oversight and Reform. (text: CR H2081-2088)
  33. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseThe previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered without objection.
  34. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseOn motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 205 - 215 (Roll no. 131).House · Roll call 131
  35. Apr 22, 2021Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 216 - 208 (Roll no. 132).(text: CR H2061-2071)House · Roll call 132
  36. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 216 - 208 (Roll no. 132). (text: CR H2061-2071)House · Roll call 132
  37. Apr 22, 2021 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  38. Apr 22, 2021 · SenateReceived in the Senate.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 5, 2026 · loaded Oct 5, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.